Lifeboat



' July 27, 1943.

LIFE BOAT Filed Feb. 25, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sv k Fernand c7' Z212 July 227, 1943- B. J. TEGETHOFF LIFE BOAT Filed Feb. 25, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rrame-tda lifeboat.

Patented July 27, 1943 UNITED STATES PAT EN Tf oF F1os .'LIFEBOAT 'Bernardi Tegethoff, St. Louis, Mio. Y -ApplicationFebruary 25, 1942 Serial No.432',22

' (oroai y 8 Claims.

This invention relates to llife boats; and it -has special reference to equipment for Vlife boats for preventing the boats from capsizing or turning over in the Water land for enabling the boats to sustain lheavier loads than other boats of the same tonnage coeicientwithout the equipment.

Objects ofv'the Ainvention Vare to provideequipment for attachment -to 4a life boat Yor other relatively small boat -ccmprisingany open lframe for'cage detachably secured'toor'about Vthelife lboatgand buoyant outriggers orfiioats hinged `to said` frame at opposite sidesofthebo'at for move- `ment from approximately verticallunoperated positions at the sides `of the boat `downwardly to sired relative movement of the parts. v o l Another object of the invention is to `provide improved equipment for Vlife boats comprising at 'least'two pivotally `connected buoya'ritoutiggers having hingedconnection 'to 'the Vrespecitive sides of the boat formovemerit from'vertical unoperated positions to outwardlyextendedA positions vfor use,` detaohablekconnections j'for the two adjacent outriggers for holding them-in ltheirunopferated vertically extended positions, detachable `connections for theftworouter outriggers-extending below the boatwhen .the .boat .is.not..in use,

and an improved open frame-or cage for securing the several outriggers to the boat.-V

Another object of the inventionis toprovide` a plurality of buoyant outriggers having pivotal connection with an attaching `frame Wherebylthe Voutriggers maybe moved from upwardly extended unoperatedpositions which they occupy wherinot in use, to outwardly eXtendedLpositions "for'use, and'means -for detach'a'bly securing'fthe attaching Otherobjects and advantages'ofthe invention "will be uapparent from 'tliej following description, reference `being'm'ade to the' annexedY drawings,

in which- Y a Fig. lAv is "a plan View o'f .a fliiebo'at of .conventional 'constructionhavi'ng my invention. attached thereto. p A

when th boat 'is'not in' use..

'rectlyto the boatwhen they are in their lvertical "unoperated positionsr iin-Vorder ,to prevent unde- Fig. Sisan extended perspective View showing by solid 4lines the frame'arrd Outrigger attachment having'the parts extended'and showing theoutriggers in dotted lines. Y

The 'openframe or 'cagewhich is constructe for releasable vattachment to 'a boat comprises two duplicate end members. Each end member is preferably composed of -a metallic rod bent to' form Va lower portion I having a length approximately equalto thewidth ofthe boat for whichthedevice is intended; and two upwardly extended side members! arranged to extend'upwardlyatopposite sides of the boat "when'the open'frame or cage isattached to the boat.A When the boat is within the frame or cage, there are two upwardly'extended side members 2 at .each side of the boat. The upper leridsof the side memb'ers'Z atreach side of the'boat are connected by a'longitudnal `frame .member 3 which may be 'formed integral Withtl'ie vertical frame members Zby welding or otherwise. The partst hold the two end Yframes spaced longitudinally, Longif tudinalrame members lare secured to the lower portions'of' the vertical members 3 by eyelets 5 formed on the ends .of said members i and enclosing the uprights 2, as shown. vThe frame members 4 may be otherwise Vattached to the end frames. Y n

Theftop of the openframe or cage comprises ^a U#shaped'rodincluding'two end'arms G having eyelets 'l formed on their Yends pivotally receiving the longitudinalframe member 3 at one side ,of theboat;y and 'a Vlongitudinal connecting portion lcomplementary to and arranged to overlie the longitudinal member 3 at the opposite side of the 'boat Y(Fig. 3).` 'The longitudinal members 3 and 8 may' beratta'ch'ed together by removable and replaceable fasteners 9 extending through registering `l1oles in sadmembers, or said members maybe otherwise attached as desired. All of the "frame'thus described is preferably composed o `metallic rods and other metallic parts.

I A metallic rod i?, is pivoted to each side member 2 ofthe frame or cage. As shown, the rods l are formed with'loo Js 5i through which the parts 2 extend. Preferably, the loops li are below the longitudinal frame membersdl The relative positions of these parts may be reversed if desired.` The pivotal connectoris of the rods l with the side members 2 of the or cage permit Y swinging movements-o' said rods from upwardly extended Ypositions as shown in Fig. outwardly extended positions as shown irifFigsl l and 3, and vice versa. 'A link l2 has pivotal connectioiiitwitli'the end of each rod lil opposite from the loops Il for swinging movements from outwardly extended positions (Fig. 3) to downwardly extended positions (Fig. 2). A bifurcated combined coupling element and spool I4 is pivotally connected by a number of chain links l5 with the outer end of each link l2 at one side of the frame or cage; and a cooperating coupling element IG is pivotally connected with the outer end of eachlink l2 at the opposite side of the cage by links Il. These coupling elements are arranged to be placed in the position shown in Fig. 2 in which the coupling elements I6 are between the forks of the coupling elements ld and are connected together by removable and replaceable fasteners I8, thus holding the links l2 in proper depending positions. Y

A buoyant Outrigger I9 is attached to the up- `per sides of each pair of rods l, one pair of which rods is at each side of the cage or frame and, therefore, at each side of the boat on which the frame is mounted. Similarly, buoyant outriggers 2t are attached to each pair of links l2 outwardly beyond the pivots i3. Abutments 2| are secured to the outer sides of the outriggers i9 for engagement with the adjacent sides of the outriggers 2Q when'the Outrigger devices are in their folded or unoperated positions, as shown in Fig. 2. In such positions, the coupling elements hl and lS are attached by the removable and replaceable fasteners l 8 to secure the parts in their unoperated positions.

A pair of links 22 are connected with the outer edge of one of the outriggers i9 by pivot linkage 23, and have links or rings 2d adapted to be engaged with fingers 25 attached to and projecting beyond the outer edge of the opposite outrigger l (Fig. 2).' Thus, the two outriggers I9 will be supported in upwardly extended positions at opposite sides of the boat, as shown in Fig. 2.

'A pair of links'Z are pivoted withthe fingers 25' by pivot linkage 2l and have links or rings 28 adapted to be engagedwith projections 25 attached to the opposite side of the boat. The links 22 and 25 thus cooperate effectively to attach the outriggers at one side of the boat to those at the other side of the boat, and also to the boat proper. Thus, said links 22v and 26 cooperate directly with the coupling'elements lf2 and I6 to hold all of the elements in proper position when the life boat is not in use.

The life boat may be suspended by a tackle comprising ropes 39 passing over pulleys 3l on davits 32.' When the boat is suspended, the rope 30 may be woonden the coupling elements lli-l 6 which thereby function as spools to hold the ropes. When it is desired to lower the life boat, the fasteners i8 are removed, permitting the rope to slip'fro-m the spools provided by the coupling elements ifi-i6 and the rope to move through or over the pulleys 3l. After the boat has beenlovvered into the water and at any proper time, the linl-:s 22 and 2@ may be detached from the ngers 25 and the projections 29, respectively. The buoyant outriggers will then extend themselves upon the water substantially to the positions shown in Fig. l.

The ends of the outriggers I9 may be formed with slots or other hand-holds 33,'and the outer edges of the outriggers 2Q may be formed with similar slots or hand-holds 34 to be grasped by' any persons in the water. The outriggers are of such buoyancy that they will support or assist in suppoiting one or more persons, and will also increase the buoyancy of the boat proper so that the tonnage coeicient of the boat is considerably provided for each Outrigger and are pivotally connected thereto so that, when the device is folded and not in use as in Fig. 2, said rods may be folded against the sides of the outriggers 20 or detached. When the outriggers are extended as shown in Fig. l, the inner ends of the rods 38 may be detachably connected by linkage 40 with arms attached to the opposite sides of the boat. This will permit necessary swinging movements of the outriggers relative to each lother and relative to the boat, and will prevent folding ofthe outriggers 21? onto the inner outriggers 9. Preferably, each end of the life boat is equipped with a pump 35 which may be operated to discharge water from the boat. Also, each Aside of the boat is provided with a series of eyelets 36 for engagement by safety belts 3l placed around the respective passengers whereby they may be prevented from falling overboard.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that this invention attains -all of its intended objects and purposes. The equipment substantially prevents vthe boat from capsizing or turning over and considerably increases the tonnage coefficient. Even though the boat itself should be in a leaking condition, these buoyant outriggers will prevent the boat from sinking even when bearing a considerable load. The construction Vand arrangement of the parts may be varied as Widely as the scope of lequivalents will permit without departure from the nature and principle of the invention as dened by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Equipment for Iboats comprising a frame for attachment to the boat to which the equipment is to be applied and having upwardly extended sides, a pair of arms having pivotal and slidable connection with each of said sides of said frame for swinging movements from upwardly extended to laterally extended positions and Vice versa and for vertical sliding movements along saidr frame, a buoyant Outrigger attached to each pair of said arms and movable therewith from upwardly extended to laterally extended positions and vice Versa as aforesaid, and a number of links for connecting and holding said outriggers and thereby said arms at opposite sides of said frame in their upwardly extended positions.

2,. Equipment for boats comprising a frame adapted to enclose a boat for which the equipment is intended, detachable means extending across the upper portion of said lframe for securing the same in connection with the boat, a

pair of outwardly extended arms pivotally connected to each side of said frame for swinging movements from upwardly extended to outwardly extended positions and vice versa, a buoyant Outrigger attached to each pair of said arms for movement therewith to said positions, buoyant outriggers pivotally connected to the outer ends of said arms for movement from outwardly extendedpositions when the boat is in the Water to downwardly extended positions at the outer sides of said first named outriggers when the boat is not in use, and links for holding said outriggers in said positions.

3. Equipment for boats comprising a frame for enclosing the boat for which the equipment is intended, a pair of pivotally connected outriggers at each side of said frame, means pivotally connecting said pairs of outriggers to said frame for movements from outwardly extended positions to upwardly extended and folded positions at the sides of the boat, links detachably connecting the upper portions of said outriggers across and above the boat and holding the outriggers in their upwardly extended positions, and couplings connecting Said outriggers below the boat and cooperating with said links to prevent relative movement of said outriggers. y

4. Equipment for boats comprising an open frame, means for securing said frame about the boat to which it is applied, a pair of rods pivoted to each side of said frame for swinging movements from outwardly extended positions to upwardly extended positions and vice versa, a buoyant outrigger attached to each pair of said rods, a pair of links pivoted to the outer ends of each pair of said rods, a buoyant Outrigger attached to each pair of said links and movable from outwardly extended positions to approximately vertical positions when said rst named outriggers are in upwardly extended positions and vice extended positions to outwardly extended positions and vice versa, links for connecting one of said outriggers with the opposite side of the boat at a distance above the upper surface of the boat, and links detachably connecting said outriggers and extending across the plane of the boat and substantially above the same.

6. In a life boat, an open frame enclosing and attached to the boat, a series of outriggers pivotally connected with opposite sides of said frame attached to the boat, a series of outriggers pivotally connected with opposite sides of said frame for swinging movements from upwardly extended to outwardly extended positions and vice versa,

couplings extending below and across the plane of the boat and secured to said outriggers for holding them in their upwardly extended positions, and series of links detachably connecting said outriggers above the boat and also detachably connecting the outriggers at one side of the boat with the boat proper.

8. Equipment for boats comprising a frame for enclosing a boat for which the equipment is intended, a pair of pivotally connected outrggers at each side of the boat, means pivotally connecting said pairs of outriggers to said frame for movements from outwardly extended positions to upwardly extended and folded positions at the sides of the boat, rods pivotally connected with i one Outrigger of each pair of outriggers, and links for pivotally connecting said rods with opposite sides of the boat to prevent folding of the outriggers of each pair one upon the other.

BERNARD J. lEGrIilTHOlflFR 

